Morrison plans event for wastewater plant discussion

Recreation director turns in resignation

MORRISON – The city will have an open house this week for citizens seeking information or wanting to make suggestions about the siting of the wastewater treatment plant, Mayor Roger Drey said at Monday’s City Council meeting.

The open house will be at 5 p.m. Thursday in the community room at Odell Public Library, 307 S. Madison St.

“No plans have been decided on the placement of it,” Drey said.

Engineers from Baxter & Woodman, a Crystal Lake firm, will be there to discuss the issue, Drey said.

An ordinance to designate six properties historic landmarks was removed from the meeting agenda.

Allen Bush, an owner of one of the properties, told the council that he did not want the designation for his property at 117 W. Wall St. A previous owner of the building applied for the designation in 2006, he said.

The city’s attorney, Tim Zollinger, requested Friday afternoon that the item be pulled from the agenda to complete fact-finding and inquire whether current owners are interested, City Administrator Jim Wise said early Monday.

All six properties that were in the ordinance, including two owned by the city, were proposed as historic landmarks in 2006, Wise said. The matter fell to the wayside after the death of former city clerk Jennie Huling in 2007, he said.

In other council matters, director of recreation programs Theresa Farrell resigned, saying she had held the position 30 years.

“Sometimes, as a person, you have to know when you’ve served your time,” she said.

At the Dec. 10 meeting, the council will discuss the 2013 tax levy and a budget amendment for next year. The city’s estimated assessed values are expected to have decreased by 1.15 percent, Wise said.

Wise said a 1.15 percent drop in EAV would be “fantastic” as it’s much smaller than the drop many other cities are experiencing.

“We’re nowhere near the situation many communities are in,” he said.

Chief of Police Brian Melton said his department has started educating the public about the new citywide speed limit.

Effective Dec. 1, the speed limit will be 25 mph in the city unless otherwise posted. The speed limits on state Route 78 and U.S. Route 30 (Lincolnway) will remain 30 mph as posted. The limit on Main Street will be 20 mph, effective spring 2013.